Broken
by bobdabuilder0804
Summary: S6 AU Jack, Bill and Fayed. Some torture. Story is complete. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

Broken.

Huddled behind some stacked wooden crates, Bill watched in horror as three shots exploded in Jack's vest and he collapsed, hitting the floor unconscious.

Shit.

Panic engulfed him as he watched the gun Jack had been firing scatter across the floor, now free from Jack's grip. It skidded to a stop just out of his reach. Bill cast a nervous glance at Jack, his chest was rising and falling but he lay still. The firing had stopped. Did the hostiles know he was here? Did they think the resistance was over? Trying to stay calm Bill moved to the edge of the crate and reached his arm out towards the weapon. He quickly snatched it back as a gun shot sounded and a bullet pinged against the steel walling behind them.

Jack lay a few feet away, out in the open, unprotected. The hostiles could see him, no doubt, his flack was visible over the white scuffed shirt he wore. They would be able to tell that he was alive, what were they waiting for?

Bill flinched as a sudden voice boomed around the large room. It carried a heavy accent and Bill listened carefully, his face paling as the terrorists pronounced his own name.

"Mr. Buchanan, come out now with your hands up."

Bill looked around automatically as thoughts raced through his mind. A set up? Had somebody betrayed them? They'd been following up on a lead Jack found. He needed somebody with tech experience to search the hard drive suspected of containing information on future attacks. Chloe had been ordered to accompany Jack, but she refused, and Bill volunteered instead, understanding Chloe's fear of being out in the field. The last time she went into the field she came under attack from hostiles and killed a man. Miller had come for protection, as a precaution. Intel suggested the place was empty. The Intel was wrong. Miller's body lay near the exit, out of sight, and Bill tried to keep the man out of mind too, he needed to focus. Either somebody leaked the information, or… the hard drive had more value then they anticipated.

"Bill Buchanan, come out now!"

Bill tried to slow his breathing down. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to order his thoughts and find a way to help himself, or escape, save Jack, and take control.

"I will give you to the count of three, before my men make sure Mr. Bauer is hit somewhere far more damaging than his vest."

Bill gritted his teeth at the mention of Jack's name. It had to be a set up. 

"One!"

Jack was in danger. He'd been condemned to death once today, Bill couldn't jeopardise his safety again; could he?

"Two!"

He had no weapons. They were defenceless…

"Thr-"

"Wait!" Bill stood up, stepped away from the crate, held his hands away from his body and slowly moved into the open.

"Don't move," the voice ordered.

Bill stayed put and stared ahead at the three men who aimed their weapons at him. He tried not to let his fear show, but he'd never been in a situation like this before and it was unnerving. He didn't want to die…

One man strode over. The leader? Bill kept his hands raised, willing them to stop shaking as the man stood directly before him and stared him down.

"Hands on your head."

Bill complied immediately, feeling his suit jacket ride up as he raised his arms to complete the task. The man stepped behind him, and Bill flinched as his sweaty hands grabbed at his wrists, tying his arms behind his back tightly with plastic strips.

"Lets go."

The hostiles hand locked around the senior mans upper arm and Bill was directed towards the exit of the room. They passed the dusty computer he was here to examine and Bill glanced at it sadly, they were ambushed before they even secured the drive, they hadn't stood a chance. As he was led through the emergency exit door Bill turned his head to look back for Jack, but his guard pulled on his arm fast and shoved him out of the building before he could see anything more.

He was pushed through an alleyway, and made to stop before they reached the end. Bill faced the wall as instructed, staring at the red brick as he tried to control his breathing. Were they going to kill him now; was this it - was this death? He was startled by a screeching of tires, and tried to turn but a hand on the back of his collar warned him to stay put. Again, he flinched, and a hood was suddenly pushed over his face, before he was blindly directed into the back of a vehicle. The ride was long, and silent. Bill prayed Jack was okay. Was he even alive? Bill felt a knot grow in his stomach, the uncertainty sent his nerves on edge, and as he felt himself grow nauseous he was thankful for the protecting of his emotions the heavy hood provided, he didn't need the men to see his fear, he had to be brave, he had to be strong: he had to hope for the best.

Jack came too as the remaining men rolled him onto his stomach to restrain him and remove the flack jacket. His chest ached where the bullets had hit the vest and he was groggy, surprised and confused as the men tried to pin him down. He struggled frantically at first, scared they were taking him for more interrogation, more questions, more pain. Alam drew his weapon and pressed it against the side of Jack's temple, getting his attention. It was only then Jack became aware of his surroundings, the open warehouse a stark contrast to the dingy cell he had grown accustomed too as realisation and remembrance slowly seeped in through his senses. He wasn't in China anymore, but his body still ached as though he was.

"You aren't our primary concern, Mr. Bauer, so I'd stop fighting."

Jack stopped struggling as he tried to process the present. He was dragged through the same alley Bill passed through just minutes earlier, his wrists aching from the plastic restraints, the positioning of his arms irritating his wounded shoulder, it stung as the men pushed him into the van and he focused on the present pain rather than the similarities between the vehicle he occupied and the one Fayed and his man had earlier forced him into.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack was startled when two of the men tugged on his arms and raised him to his feet. He realised the van was stationary, the journey complete: but where had he been during the ride? Grimacing against the pain that flared up in his chest as he moved, he tried to focus on the present; and memorised the plates of the van as he was pulled from it and led away. Jack tried to take in all he could as he was directed towards a shabby looking house with no windows. The men were each armed, but with his hands tied so tightly behind his back, he had no means of getting to them.

The guards took him inside and as he was pulled down the cold and uneven steps into the cellar he felt his chest tighten and his breath shorten. Realisation clawed at him : he was at his captors mercy. The Chinese had owned him for almost two years, and now, new strangers were in control too - he was just a pawn. Would he ever get his life back? The damp cellar made him unable to push away the similarities between the hell he had ebeen freed from and his current situation, for the stone walls made him think of the cell he had grown accustomed to and he tried not to shudder as he was pushed against a wall and told to stay still. He obeyed. What else could he do?

A light flickered on and Jack didn't know if it was relief or fear that made him swallow hard as he watched Ahem secure Bill to a chair. Relief, he decided, that the man was alive, but fear… fear of what could happen. Jack looked down at the floor, and a young guard, Nomad, pulled the hood away from Buchanan's face. Bill blinked against the light, and then softly croaked out Jack's name, but Jack didn't respond. Bill was thankful Jack was still alive, but unable to use this knowledge to comfort himself due to the uncertainty of both of their futures. 

Jack continued to study the floor and felt himself start to sweat. He tried to ignore Bill's presence, but he knew it would be difficult to hold out if they used Bill to get to him, the very though scared him. This wasn't Bills world, but Jack couldn't save him. He had held out during two years of torture in China, he wasn't going to let some terrorists break him down, not now, not after all he had been through. He clenched his teeth and tried to push Bill from his mind but it was difficult - he was certain Bill was going to suffer in an effort to make him talk. But he couldn't give in, he wouldn't. He could feel his hands shaking against the hard wall behind him as he found himself mentally apologising to Bill in advance. As Alam strode over Jack's eyes thinned and he glared at the man, hating him with every inch of his body for what he was going to do, for what he would force Jack to put Bill through. But he wouldn't break, they would both die before he gave in.

Alam revealed a knife and Jack tried not to let his fear show, instead he stared at the object, and then Alam with a cold but determined gaze whilst he silently moulded his pain and fear into aggression, knowing it was the only way he could stay in control. He had to be focused, he had to take advantage if an opportunity presented itself. He had to save Bill, save him from the horrors of his own not so distant past.

Jack flinched as the mans hands tugged at his shirt before ripping it open with help of the blade. Jack watched as though mesmerised when a button was freed from the material and bounced on the floor before settling down at his feet. He tried to move away in reaction to the contact Alam's hands made with his chest as the man pushed the material aside to reveal his scared and wounded chest. Alam smiled before purposely brushing against the knife wound Fayed inflicted earlier, Jack jolted slightly but made no sound.

Alam opened his mouth, intending to address his prey, but then turned and faced Bill instead. He leant over and spoke to Bill directly in a hushed voice. Jack was out of earshot, but he could see Bill's features crease in dislike.

Ahem straightened up and moved away, Bill tugged at the chains securing him to the chair as he approached Jack once more and simply smiled. Jack stared back at him, confused. Bill wasn't scared, he was angry. But why?

"Leave him alone!"

Jacks eyes widened slightly as he the reality of the situation was suddenly revealed to him. The men didn't want his information, his intel would be useless now. It was Bill's information they wanted, and he was the means by which they were going to get Buchanan to talk.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack stared ahead at Alam, showing no fear, hiding his internal struggle as he silently willed himself to accept the pain which he was to endure. Still, he broke the contact first, blinking and looking down, and Alam, sensing his victory, turned from Jack and focused his attention upon Bill as he tried to break free from his bonds. A futile effort, but he couldn't give up on Jack, not after his country had, he couldn't let the man down again.

"You went to the warehouse to search our servers for information on Fayed's secondary team, correct?"

Bill said nothing.

"I don't need your confirmation on this, Mr Buchanan, I already know the truth. I have seen everything Fayed saw, and I have as many bombers planted in this city as Fayed did because he was my mentor, my leader, but I was also his second in command. I have as much leeway as he did; Fayed has martyred himself, but the cause is not dead, it is stronger than ever."

"What do you want!" Bill interrupted, Alam's dialogue frustrating him, he didn't care to hear about his cause, his pledge - he didn't want to hear it. 

"What I want Bill, is simple." He paused, and Jack listened hard, never taking his eyes from Bill who struggled to stay calm. "I want the access codes to your files on Shadow Fall." 

Bill shook his head from side to side. "That's a ridiculous request. Besides, if you are who you say you are then the information in those files are of no use to you."

"I disagree."

"We compiled information, nothing more - if you're the leader then you know more than we do."

"I am not going to debate the issue with you, Bill. I want the codes. You will give me the codes. Mr Bauer will pay for any resistance, and if you still refuse, he will die to further our cause. Do you understand?"

Bill stared down at the floor in defiance, until Jack spoke up gruffly. "Don't tell them anything-" 

Nomad retaliated immediately, sending his fist into Jack's face, the power of the blow slammed his head back into the wall and he squeezed his eyes shut as his face scrunched up in pain. Ignoring Jack's interruption Alam spoke to Bill again.

"If you don't comply, Bauer will die. I promise you that."

Jack spoke up again, his voice haggard but loud and angry. "I faced death for my country once today, I will do it again." This time there was no retaliation. Bill watched as Alam moved over to face his captive. Jack stared back boldly, unnerved, and Alam could see his determination. Bill looked away, knowing the hard, cold stare was a silent request for his compliance. His fingers gripped the edge of the chair arms tightly as he made his decision.

"Then so be it."


	4. Chapter 4

Bill was pale. His body visibly trembled and he flinched each time Alam demanded information from him. Jack lay awkwardly on the floor, his hands still tied behind his back, but bruised and bloody from the vicious stamping he had endured. Alam addressed Bill once more, and Jack used the opportunity to roll onto his back, half propped up by the stone wall, with his legs splayed out before him. He didn't have the energy to do anything more. Bill shook his head in refusal to Alam, and the reaction was instantaneous as Nomad kicked Jack in the stomach. Although he grunted through the pain, Jack made no other reaction. Bill studied his form as his stomach again tightened: the head wound inflicted by Fayed had been re-opened and blood trickled down his cheek, mixing with sweat and dribbling onto his battered chest. Blood smeared his lower lip, but his face remained blank, void of emotion - Bill was scared.

His earlier determination was no longer visible - the pain coursing through his aching body preventing him from displaying any façade - instead his true emotion was clear to all - acceptance, resignation of his fate. Bill tried to suppress the tremble and instead a shudder ran through him. He wondered if he was back in the state of mind he adopted throughout China, knowing the abuse was permanent, never ending, for the information would not be given up. Two men pulled him back to his feet and Jack swayed when left to hold his own weight, and so the men remained by his sides, tightening their grips on his biceps when he sagged. Jack tried not to squirm, hating the contact, their bruising grip on him a promise of more pain to come.

Alam was checking a PDA and Bill relished in the silence, no questions, no cries of pain… But Jack was in pain, and he had caused it. But what could he do? As Bill studied Jack, he wondered if he had displayed the same courage when being held by Fayed and his men - had he still battled to control the pain, or had he openly cried out as he was cut and stabbed and beaten? Death was to come - did that knowledge allow him to open or had he closed up even more, and faced death with pride? Bill assumed the latter, and then the thoughts were forgotten as Fayed broke the silence and dragged Bill back to the surface of this hideous reality he and Jack were trapped within.

"I don't have time to waste here, Bill - and as you are forcing my hand, I in return have to force the pressure placed upon Bauer."

A command was given in Arabic and the two guards holding Jack turned him around to face the wall before Nomad opened up a switchblade and cut what was left of his shirt away. The room fell quiet as the men saw the extent of the scarring which marred Bauer's back, and Jack shivered slightly as goose-bumps covered his skin. Alam took the knife from Nomad and rested the tip against one of the ugly thick scars, before adding slight pressure.

"Why bother inflicting new wounds when I can simply re-open older ones," he said, smiling viciously in Bills direction.

"Please don't do this!" Bill pleaded, but Alam ignored him and sliced the sharp blade through the skin and down the length of the scar. Jack bucked and cried out in pain. His breath came in short, fast and loud bouts as he struggled to hold on, but the pain was all consuming as he struggled to manage it. Without wasting time Alam repeated the process, cutting open another long scar over his shoulder blades before stepping back as Jack collapsed in the men's grip, unconscious. "Wake him," he ordered, and Nomad did so, breaking smelling salts under their captives nose. Jack was startled awake and he moaned quietly as the men pulled him up fully, and began to turn him to face the wall once more. Alam stopped them, instead directing Jack to face him. Exhausted, Jack stared back, before turning his head to spit on the floor. Alam smiled and nodded his head, as though he expected nothing less.

"Bill Buchanan is trying to resist us. But he will give me those codes." The knife came down again, but instead of slicing open more healed wounds he stabbed the blade carelessly into Jack's side below the ribcage and was satisfied with the howl his victim made as he turned the blade and made the wound bigger before removing the knife. Alam moved away, passing the knife to Nomad before pulling out his phone and calling somebody. Bill's eyes skittered from Jack to Alam as he tried to focus on both people. Alam switched to English before ending the call, and spoke softy, "I will be there soon." Bill closed his eyes, knowing that his time was running out.

"I have done playing with Mr Bauer, although I would enjoy a continuation of this meeting I have to go." He looked Jack over, and noticed the blood which covered the mans side and was quickly soaking through his trousers. "Although it looks like Bauer is going to be leaving us soon anyway, I would much rather see his death then hear of it. Nomad, give me your gun."

Now it was Bill's turn to hyperventilate. Alam too the gun and checked the chamber. Jack's eyes blinked repeatedly as he tried to cling to consciousness - he wanted to be alert - even in death. Bill started shaking more, his voice trembled as he spoke. "Please don't do this! Jack has nothing to do with this, leave him alone!"

Alam started at him as though considering his plea, before cocking the gun and aiming it at Jack.

"No!" Bill yelled, his voice hoarse, "you can not do this, he is an innocent man!"

"Nobody is innocent." The words were muttered drowsily and both Bill and Alam were startled to hear Jack speak those words - was he encouraging Alam - did he want to die? Bill tried not to panic as he realised that he couldn't do this, couldn't give Jack up, couldn't sign his death warrant.

"5362D96T07095B - that's the code - it will get you access to, and inside the file."

Jack turned his head as he winced in pain, his eyes sunken and dull as he realised what Bill had done. He had given in. He had broken. To save him.

Alam keyed the information into his PDA before calling his contact - the mole who had set them up, Bill thought - and relayed the information. Minutes passed before Alam ended the call and smiled victoriously. The men holding Jack upright moved away and Jack collapsed. The men left, and Alam approached him. "Thank you Bill. You didn't have to make it so hard on yourself, but that was your choice." The gun was still in his hand and Bill spoke quietly, "are you going to kill us now?"

Alam undid the strap on Bills right wrist, allowing him to free himself. Bill sat still, almost numb. "I am a man of my word, Mr Buchanan. But let me give you some advice - Fallen Shadow will not be defeated. The attacks will not be prevented." Alam left the room, after a moment his footsteps could no longer be heard. Bill freed himself and moved over to Jack, rolled him onto his back and smiled with relief when he saw Jack was still conscious.

"I'm… I'm sorry Jack, I… I can't believe I let you go through that. I thought I could be strong. I thought we might be found. I thought a lot of things… but I couldn't let them kill you." As he spoke he managed to get Jack sitting against the wall. He peeled his suit jacked off, and then his shirt too, Jack's blood quickly stained his white undershirt as he freed him of his cuffs and then draped the jacket over his shoulders to warm and cover him. He pressed the bunched up shirt against the stab wound and Jack held it there, trying his best to channel the pain and focus. "Oh God Jack, I can't believe I let them do this to you," Bill whimpered, as the blood from his re-opened wounds began to soak through the grey jacket.

"It's okay," Jack whispered. Bill left to find a phone and contact CTU and medical. Jack stared at the shirt as it soaked up his blood hazily. He felt light headed and faint but overwhelmed with comfort by Bill's actions. The information was lost. There was a mole in either CTU or another government division. The terrorists were still attacking the city. And yet… he felt relief that Bill had caved and given them the information.

Bill cared. Bill didn't want him to die. Somebody didn't want him to die. The two years endured in China had filled him with an innate sense of loneliness. Now he felt overwhelmed with relief. Bill came back down and checked the wound. He rested his hand gently on Jack's shoulder and Jack didn't recoil from the contact, instead it comforted him, made him feel stronger but also made him want to take Bill's pain surrounding the events away.

"It's okay Bill," he said gruffly, "thank you."

Bills eyes softened. "What can you possibly thank me for? You should hate me as much as the government that allowed you to be locked away in China."

Jack shook his head, it heightened the headache but he ignored it as best as he could. "You saved me," he said softly, "I feel…" he shook his head again, wincing as the pressure built up, "I feel better. I feel whole…" he stopped as his eyes filled with tears.

"It's okay Jack," he said, and patted his arm encouragingly, "it's okay." 

"I didn't think it would ever be okay, after what they did to me… but now…" he stopped as a sob escaped him, he managed to hold the rest back but not the tears which fell free from his eyes and joined the blood on his face as the true extent of his emotion was revealed. Bill moved over and pulled Jack into his embrace and held him tightly as the man continued to cry, extinguishing his demons from China, almost repairing the damage inflicted. "It's okay," Bill whispered as the tears subsided, "it's going to be okay now, you're going to be okay."

Jack nodded and pulled back from Bill's grip, almost embarrassed by the gesture but warmed too. Sirens could be heard in the distance. He looked at Bill, almost scared to make the confession but he spoke it aloud anyway, feeling as though Bill needed to hear something after his breakdown. "I think you're right Bill," he said, and sniffed before adding, "I think I'm gonna be okay now." 


End file.
